Auction Fest Celebrates 25 Years

“A?Touch Of Ireland” Theme For 2013

April 4, 2013

An opportunity to return to the auld sod with "A Touch Of Ireland" will fill the evening this Saturday for the 25th Annual Auction Fest at the Emmetsburg Catholic School. Auction Fest will take place this weekend, starting with a pair of preview events on Friday, April 5, and then the actual Auction Fest dinner and auction event on Saturday in Corrigan Hall.

The public will have a pair of opportunities on Friday, April 5, to see the wide variety of items that will be offered on the silent and live auctions on Saturday evening. The Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce's weekly Chamber Coffee will take place Friday at Corrigan Hall from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The public Preview Party event is then set for Friday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Corrigan. The public is invited to view the auction items, and participate in the Chest of Chance game, or to purchase tickets for the Luck of the Irish Drawing and the Half-Chance drawings. This year's Luck of the Irish game features a choice of an IPad or $400 in Emmetsburg Catholic School Hope Certificates.

Article Photos

DOING?THEIR?PART - Students of the Emmetsburg Catholic School have worked hard to come up with special auction packages for the 25th Anniversary of Auction Fest, the annual fundraiser for their school. Among student auction offerings are class quilts, caricatures, home entertainment packages and a wide variety of items. Pictured with a donated scooter and Green Mountain Grill are, in front from left to right: Kale Fank, Molly Joyce, Logan Treiber and Conner Geelan. In back, from left to right are Molly Rouh, Rachel Geelan, Connor Joyce, Thomas Woodford, Andrew Walker, Drake Weaver, Elizabeth Rouh, Amilia Fank, Reagan Shirk and Keegan Joyce. Auction Fest is this Saturday at Corrigan Hall. -- Dan Voigt photo

Preview party guest will have an opportunity to win a 2013 E-Z Go RXV Freedom Golf Car. Guests will also have an opportunity to win a hand-made quilt.

Saturday's evening begins with Mass and Holy Family Church at 4:15 p.m. and the doors to Corrigan Hall will open at 5:15 p.m. The Silent Auction will begin at that time, along with The Luck of the Irish game and Field of Clover Board Game as well as the opportunities to win the Golf Car and hand-made Quilt.

Patty Cook will be the special Guest Speaker prior to the event at 6:45 p.m. and dinner, catered by SanDan's Catering of Graettinger, will follow at 7 p.m. The evening will be highlighted by the live auction, starting at 8 p.m., with Joe Temme of the Auction Specialty Group of Omaha, Neb., once again gaveling the auction items.

The Live Auction will feature 77 items this year, ranging in value from $300 to $1,500 to items that are truly "priceless".

Every year, students at Emmetsburg Catholic Schools raise funds by grades to acquire items for Auction Fest and this year, the students have once again worked very hard to come up with wonderful auction items. One such gift is a Black Hills Spruce Tree, donated by the three-year old Preschool class. The winning bidder will not only receive the tree, but will also have the memories of the three-year old preschool class coming to their home to personally plant the tree.

Another offering is the yearly Kindergarten Quilt. The ECS Kindergarten students design their own individual blocks. The ECS Preschooler class will also offer their own take on a quilt with name blocks.

But perhaps one of the most original auction items from the students at ECS is the Fourth Grade's Hot Air Balloon Ride. A one-hour hot air balloon ride for four people, along with a basket of goodies, and of course, a champagne toast at the end of the ride!

The Eighth Graders will once again provide a one-of-a-kind class caricature of their class, created by ECS Art instructor Erin Schany and the First Grade class is donating a shamrock shaped bookshelf with their thumbprints. The bookshelf will also be outfitted with a selection of books and a Kindle Paperwhite.

A home entertainment package is being offered by the Fifth Grade class, featuring a collection of their favorite DVD movies and a 39" Insignia LCD HT TV, along with some hand-painted snack bowls to complete the package. Sixth Graders are donating a fused glass Celtic Cross, hand-designed by students in the class at Studio Fusion.

A Dress Up closet is the offering of the Second Graders, who have assembled a collection of dress-up clothes, shoes and jewelry, the perfect gift for girls. Cooking With the Third Grade is a collection of recipes in a recipe book, complete with photos of the class members showing off their dishes. A Kitchen Aid stand mixer and utensils will make preparing those Third Grade recipes.

The Seventh and Eighth Grade classes are combining forces to offer Praying Hands Art, a compilation of pieces created by the students that combine together to re-create the famous "Praying Hands" drawing of artist Albrecht Durer. The Seventh Graders are also offering an American Girl Doll and Bed, complete with Irish themed quilt and sheets, made by Karen Kauffman. The package also includes the 2013 American Girl doll, Saige.

Rounding out the class auction packages is the Sixth Grade's Lifetime Basketball System, complete with an autographed basketball, signed by the Sixth Grade students. The system also includes a complete portable basketball hoop.

Other items on the auction block include a Propel Malibu Scooter, Getaway Trips, a One-Week stay on the Mexican Riviera, a tour of the State Capitol Dome in Des Moines and a grocery shopping spree, among other items. Through proceeds from the annual Irish Open Golf Outing, a Daniel Boone Green Mountain Grill is being offered on auction.

Traditional Auction Fest items such as the Holy Family Street Sign, Christmas and Easter Church Seating also return along with the ECS Tuition Package.

The silent auction items are divided into various areas of interest: Kids Corner, with gifts for the younger set; A Bit O' Green on the Holiday Scene, which are decorating and dcor items with a holiday theme. Pamper Me Please items are geared toward the ladies, ranging from purses to jewelry items and more. Country, Garden and Home items include a variety of gifts, ranging from flags flown over the State Capitol to coffee makers, baking dishes and decorator items.

The Team Spirit section is devoted to collegiate and school clothing, gifts and packages, including a 1931 St. Mary's Academy Boxing Club Letter Jacket patch, along with team photo and newspaper accounts. Toys for Big Boys will feature goodies for the gentlemen, such as tools, binoculars, collectible toy cars and tractors. The final area of the silent auction is Services and Gifts, which features certificates for discounts on dining, entertainment, gift cards and other goodies.

The continued success of Auction Fest over 25 years has been the result of dedicated work by past and present committee members who have given of their time to serve on the Auction Fest Committee.

This year, Corinda Walker is the Chair, with Jessica Geelan serving as the Treasurer.